Tom Smythe officially applies for Lakeridge head football position

It has been speculated about for months but the first definitive step towards football coach Tom Smythe's potential return to Lakeridge occurred last week when Smythe resigned from his job as the head coach of the football team at Vancouver Wash.'s Evergreen High School.

Smythe then filled out an on-line application for the vacancy at Lakeridge according to athletic director Ian Lamont.

Lamont stepped down from the position as the Pacers' coach shortly after the season ended.

He took over the job in mid-August after the school decided to make a change from previous coach Rob Kool.

Smythe last coached at Lakeridge in 1987 and led the Pacers to their first and only football state championship that year. He attended Lake Oswego High School.

Smythe then went on to win a pair of state titles with McNary and also coached in Europe before ending up in Vancouver.

It was long-rumored that the Pacers were pursuing Smythe to take over the team for the 2009 season and it was believed that Smythe was interested in returning home to end his long coaching career.

The position remains open for a few more days and Lakeridge has insisted that it is keeping its options open.

But there has been communication between Smythe and Lamont and with Lake Oswego Superintendent Bill Korach and the Pacers have not been shy in stating that Smythe is near if not at the top of their wish list.

'If it works out for him to come here and for this to be his last job I think it would be a great fit,' Lamont said.

The Pacers went 1-8 this season with a shorthanded team one year after finishing 2-7.

Lakeridge missed the playoffs in both of those seasons. But the program has high hopes for a turnaround in the near future.

'(Smythe) would lend automatic credibility to the program. We're very hopeful,' Lamont said.